Reuseable drain installer

ABSTRACT

A reusable drain installer device for drainage systems, in the form of at least one generally “U” shaped form having a length suitable for the length of the drain to be installed, generally vertical sides and a bottom. A flange is positioned on the top of the vertical sides extending out from the sides. Removable spreader members are used to maintain the sides in a vertical orientation and a removable end cap closes the ends of the forms.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device for installing drains. More particularly, the invention relates to an installer device that can be used a multiple number of times to install drains for garages, shops and other interior floor drainage systems.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Interior drainage system for garages, shops and manufacturing facilities require drains that are much larger than a simple drain in the center of the floor. Plumbing requirements are now more strict and larger drains of up to fifteen or twenty feet in length are required or at least recommended to direct water and other fluids into a waste trap or sewer system.

In addition, the installation of drains on driveways at or near the portion of the driveway that joins to a road is necessary to prevent flooding and permit the flow of rain water and melted snow to a waste trap or storm sewer. Various materials have been used, such as metal culverts, ceramic and plastic pipes and poured concrete forms.

In commercial garages, shops and other buildings, the cost of installation and the cost of the device used to form the passageway for water to flow is becoming expensive, particularly as building codes add requirements to the permitted designs for these drains. In residential buildings, builders or owners sometimes use less than adequate methods to control the flow of water, resulting un unwanted flooding or, at least, unnecessary pools of water.

It would be of advantage in the art if a device could be provided that would permit the construction of an effective driveway drain for either commercial or residential internal or external use at a low cost.

It would be another advance in the art if a drain for a facility could be installed without the use of expensive pipes and the like.

Other advantages will appear hereinafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It has now been discovered that the above and other advantages of the present invention may be obtained in the following manner. Specifically, the present invention provides for a simple, effective device for making a drain system without expensive components such as culverts, pipes and the like.

In its simplest form, the present invention comprises a metal “U” shaped form of appropriate size for a typical industrial or residential building drain. The form is placed in an excavated drain location, attached to a drain support member on both of the longitudinal sides and held in place above the bottom of the excavated location. Concrete or the like is poured under and around the form and allowed to set. The form is then disconnected from the drain support members and removed.

The form may be used alone or a number of similar forms may be attached longitudinally to provide a form of sufficient length to cover the entire area where the drain is to be installed. The form and the other components are formed from a rigid material such as steel or aluminum, that must be strong enough to withstand pressure from the concrete or the like until it sets up and hardens.

In a preferred embodiment, the “U” shaped form has vertical sides, a horizontal bottom, and an angled portion at the junction of the sides and bottom. The angle may be 45° because that is easy to fabricate, or other angles may be used. Plates of the same or similar material are used to align and support the forms. Also preferred is to have a flange at the top of the two sides extending out from the form. Holes are drilled in the flanges to permit the drain support members to be attached to the form.

The drain support members are angled metal bars, such as “L” shaped angle iron having a 90° bend so they can be attached to the top of the form, such as to the flanges. A rod, such as rebar, is driven into the ground next to the form and support member and attached to them, such as with “U” bolts, thus providing a stable form. After the concrete or the like has been poured, the drain support members are left in place and serve to support and align the drain grating.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference is hereby made to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the drain support member used with the device of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As seen in FIG. 1, the device, assembly 10 generally, comprises a “U” shaped form 11 having vertical sides 13, a bottom 15 and an angled portion 17 connecting the sides to the bottom. As shown, angled portion 17 is at 45° though other angles can be used. The function of the angled portion 17 is to facilitate the removal of the form at the end of the installation.

In FIG. 1, two “U” shaped forms 11 and 11 a are shown. It has been found that three foot long forms are relatively easy to make and use, and a number of forms can be assembled, on site or at the shop, to have one continuous form of the required length. Lengths up to 21 feet or more allow for one continuous drain formation. Other lengths are also within the scope of this invention.

Forms 11 and 11 a are attached together at the top using form spreader 19 with nuts and bolts, not shown, or other fastener means. Each end of form 11 that is not attached to another form 11 a has an end spreader 21. Spreaders 19 and 21 help to maintain the walls 13 in a vertical orientation and prevents caving in of the “U” shape when concrete or the like is poured on the outside of walls 13. Similarly, an end cap 23 is provided to keep material out of the “U” shape and is attached to the bottom 15 by lip 25.

The tops of walls 13 terminate in vertical flanges 27 that extend out from walls 13 and also have holes 28. Attached on top of flanges 27 is a drain support member 31, shown in FIG. 2. Drain support member 31 is “L” shaped and has at least two vertical portions 33, attached to the bottom of the “L”, such as by welding. Drain support members 31 are placed on top of form 11 and fastened with screws or nuts and bolts to flange 27. A bar 35, such as rebar or other metal rods normally used in concrete projects, is driven into the group next to the location of the forms 11, 11 a and so on. In FIG. 1, two such rebar rods 35 are shown, but as many as needed can be used. If the drain excavation is large, an additional vertical portion 33 may be attached to drain support member 31, such as in the middle or elsewhere and another bar 35 attached there.

After the drain support member 31 is attached to form 11 on flange 27, a “U” bolt 37 is placed around rod 35 and through holes 39 in vertical portion 33 and fastened with nuts 41 to hold the entire assembly in place. The assembly 10 is ready for concrete.

Upon completion of the installation, form spreaders 19, end spreaders 21 and end plates 23 are removed and drain support members 31 are unfastened from flanges 27. The walls 13 of form 11 are pushed inward and the form is lifted out, leaving the drain support members 31 in place. A drain grate, not shown, can then be placed on the drain support members 31

To use the present invention, the number of forms 11 that are necessary to span with width of the location are assembled on site or at the shop. A typical driveway may require 15 feet of forms, though any length may be used as needed. A trench is dug and the plumber places any pipe on location that transfers water to a waste trap or pond, depending on site requirements.

In order to insure that there is space under the forms 11 to have a bottom to the pour, blocks of wood or other materials are placed below them and the location of forms 11 is established. Form spreaders 19, end spreaders 21 and end caps 23 are attached as needed, giving rigidity to the forms 11. Drain support members 31 are attached to flanges 27 if they have not yet been so attached. Bars 35 are driven into place and the entire unit is aligned and fastened to bars 35 with “U” bold 37 through holes 39 in member 33 with nuts 41. The blocks of wood or other material are then removed because the assembly 10 is securely in place.

Concrete or the like is then poured around the assembly 10 and allowed to harden. At this point, the spreaders 19 and 21, and end caps 23 are removed and drain support member 31 is detached from flanges 27. Sides 13 are pushed toward each other to allow the forms 11 to be removed, cleaned and reused. The site is cleaned up and the drain grate, if one is used, is placed on drain support members 31 and, optionally, fastened thereto.

The present invention is used to place a drain in a building such as a shop, garage, or manufacturing facility. It may also be used outdoors where water, from rain, snow or other sources, is to flow under a surface such as a driveway and into a waste trap, in commercial applications, or into dry layed pipes above ground for some residential driveways and the like. Alternatively, if a drain grate is not needed, a cover can be placed over the formed drain and paved over or otherwise covered much like a culvert.

An important advantage of the present invention is that the drain installer and the related parts described above can be used many times, thus substantially reducing equipment costs while providing a fully acceptable drain for commercial and residential or rural sites.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A reusable drain installer device for drainage systems, the device comprising: at least one generally “U” shaped form having a length suitable for the length of the drain to be installed, generally vertical sides and a bottom; a flange formed on the top of each of the vertical sides extending out from the sides, the flanges having means for attaching metal parts thereto; at least one spreader member for maintaining the sides in a vertical orientation during use and an end cap for the ends of the at least one form; and a fastener for removably attaching the at least one spreader and end cap.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of “U” shaped forms are fastened together using spreader members to achieve a desired length for the drain to be installed.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is placed in an excavated site for placement of a drain.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein a drain support member is removably attached to the vertical side flanges and positioned in an excavated site for placement of a drain.
 5. The device of claim 4, wherein a plurality of vertical rods are placed in the site proximate the drain support member for attachment thereto to fixedly locate the drain support member and drain installer device.
 6. The device of claim 5, wherein concrete or the like is poured proximate the drain installer device and allowed to harden.
 7. The device of claim 6, wherein the drain installer device is detached from the drain support member and removed.
 8. A reusable drain installer device for drainage systems, the device comprising: at least one generally “U” shaped form means for defining a space under which a drain is to be constructed, the form means having a length suitable for the length of the drain to be installed, generally vertical sides and a bottom; flange means on the top of each of the vertical sides extending out from the sides for having metal parts attached thereon; at least one spreader means for maintaining the sides in a vertical orientation during use and end cap means for the ends of the at least one form means; and fastener means for attaching the at least one spreader means and end cap means thereto. fastener means for removably attaching the a
 9. The device of claim 8, wherein a plurality of “U” shaped form means are fastened together using spreader means to achieve a desired length for the drain to be installed.
 10. The device of claim 8, wherein the device is placed in an excavated site for placement of a drain.
 11. The device of claim 8, wherein a drain support member is removably attached to the vertical side flange means and positioned in an excavated site for placement of a drain.
 12. The device of claim 11, wherein a plurality of vertical rods are placed in the site proximate the drain support member for attachment thereto to fixedly locate the drain support member and drain installer device.
 13. The device of claim 12, wherein concrete or the like is poured proximate the drain installer device and allowed to harden.
 14. The device of claim 13, wherein the drain installer device is detached from the drain support member and removed.
 15. A method of installing a drain for drainage systems, the method comprising the steps of: (1) placing a removable drain installer unit in an excavated drain site, the unit comprising: at least one generally “U” shaped form having a length suitable for the length of the drain to be installed, generally vertical sides and a bottom; a flange on the top of each of the vertical sides extending out from the sides, the flanges having means for attaching metal parts thereto; at least one spreader member for maintaining the sides in a vertical orientation during use and an end cap for the ends of the at least one form; and a fastener for removably attaching the at least one spreader and end cap; (2) removably attaching a drain support member to the unit to position the unit as an assembly, placing a plurality of vertical rods proximate the drain support member and the rods to locating the drain installer device; (3) pouring concrete or the like to form a drain and allowing it to harden; and (4) removing the drain installer unit.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein a plurality of “U” shaped forms are fastened together using spreader members to achieve a desired length for the drain to be installed.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the drain support member is an “L” shaped angle iron with vertical members adapted to receive “U” bolt means for attaching the drain support member to the vertical rods.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein a plurality of vertical rods fixedly locate the drain support member.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the spreader unit and end cap are metal.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the drain installer device made from a metal selected from steel and aluminum. 